The Other Mothers of Manhattan

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

Boy, did the cover image on yesterday's New York Times magazine take my breath away. The cover line reads, "The Other Mothers of Manhattan." It is a photo essay of Manhattan's nannies. It is the real-life version of my novel, Substitute Me. The accompanying essay is by Mona Simpson and it is hauntingly familiar, all of the issues it raises. But the best part is this audio slide show. Check it out and let me know what thoughts come to mind.

I know I too hate the word nanny. It sounds so elitist and not a word I am comfortable using. And yet to call a grown woman a babysitter doesn't sit well either. What do you call your child's caregiver? What do you think of this story?

I'm listening.

Peace!

Nanny Drama-o-Rama: When My Life Imitates My Art

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

So, I wrote novel last year, called Substitute Me. The story is about a young woman, Kate, who places an advertisement in the paper for a nanny for her young son so she can return to work after her maternity leave. The ad she places begins :

"Substitute Me: Looking for a nanny who will take care of my six-month-old baby as if her were her own...."

Zora, a 30-year-old woman who has yet to find her purpose in the world, answers the ad and soon becomes the perfect nanny, a perfect substitute for Kate ... in more than just child care. And drama ensues.

So, here I am one year later, in Kate's position. My maternity leave is about to expire and I must find someone to love babygirl as if she were her own. And I'm as freaked out about the prospect as I was ten years ago when my first son was born and the idea for Substitute Me was hatched. Only this time, I've written the damn novel and gave life to my worst fears and imaginings.

I'm looking at my life now and laughing at the existential life imitating art imitating life scenario I find myself in. Can you imagine my hysterical giggle fit when my nanny candidate list came down to hot Brazilian student versus African-American grandmother from my church? You can guess who I'm rooting for, right?

At the end of the day, I just want to avoid the whole issue of hiring a "nanny." I don't even like the word nanny. Back in Milwaukee, where I grew up, we didn't have nannies. We had babysitters. The only nanny I knew was Maria from The Sound of Music. Oh, wait she was a governess. So, yeah, nannies don't sit well with me. The woman I hire, will be a care giver. I will hope that she loves babygirl and I hope I can love her in return for that precious gift.

I'm just so thankful that the job I have allows me to be home for long summers and at least one day during the week. I know I am lucky. And if the care-giver thing doesn't work out, babygirl will just have to sit under my desk.

What about you meltingpot moms? Did you or do you use a nanny? Did you have any fears about hiring someone to care for your child? Do you love your nanny? I want to hear about it.

I'm listening.

Peace!

Baby Girl is Here!

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

As some of you rightly guessed, I've been missing in action because babygirl decided to make an early appearance this weekend. Yes, she's here! The Kinky Gazpacho Family is officially now a party of five. Thanks to all of you for your well wishes and fabulous suggestions for baby names and labor techniques. Turns out labor was super fast and thanks to my pre-selected labor songs I was able to make it through without drugs and with minimum cussing and screaming on my part. I was pretty proud of myself. Here's the song I listened to the most to help me get through labor. It's India Arie's, This Too Shall Pass and was my mantra as every contraction came on.



Thank you, India. Even though after that experience I joked that I should name babygirl India, I did not. El esposo and I did, however deliberate quite a bit on choosing the right name. Our daughter in fact, had no name for the first 30 hours of her life, but I'm very happy with what we chose. And I have to be honest, el esposo really gets the credit, as the name was his idea. I know you all want to know what it is, right? Well, I figured I'd have a little fun here. I'll give you three clues what her name is and anyone who guesses correctly will be part of a drawing to win a free, signed copy of my novel, Substitute Me. Even if you've read it, you can still gift it to someone who hasn't. So without further ado:

1. Babygirl is named after a fictitious African princess

2. Babygirl's name means 'help or helper' in Latin

3. Babygirl shares her name with an opera penned by Verdi.

4. Bonus clue: Babygirl's name is pronounced the same in English and Spanish even though its origins are neither English nor Spanish.

Happy guessing!

Peace and sweet baby feet.

If You're in Philadelphia Today...

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

If you're in Philly today, enjoying the ridiculous, summer-like weather, please consider stopping by the main library in Center City to hear me and Wench author, Dolen Perkins-Valdez. We're doing a joint reading to kick off the Philadelphia Book Festival. Details about the event can be found at the library website.

If you recall, I reviewed Wench here on the Meltingpot and I called it a "heartbreaking work of of historical genius," and I stand by my assessment. In fact, I'm thinking I'll just read a paragraph or two from Substitute Me, so we can hear more from Perkins-Valdez. I am so excited to finally meet her in person. Of course, I'm going to ask her what she's working on next.

I do think it is interesting that we were paired to read together. There is the obvious connection of Black women working for/serving White men and the sexual tension between them. Wench gives us the historical perspective, Substitute Me examines the same relationship in modern times. I suspect it will be a riveting, although maybe painful discussion. I'm glad el esposo won't be there. Could be AWKWARD.

So, wish me luck and I'll let you know how it all goes down. And if you do live in the area, I'd love to see you tonight at 6pm.

Peace.

My Hair, My Books

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

I don't have any news to report about the situation in Japan and the other countries in the path of the earthquake/ tsunami, but know that my thoughts and prayers are with everyone effected both here and abroad. I have a cousin in the military stationed in Japan and we're still waiting for word.

That had to be first.

Next, we move on to this. I'm on Youtube! How cool is that. Well, actually, since your little sister can burp her ABC's and get on Youtube, I guess it's not that big of a deal, but this is actually a nice interview I did at the Miami Book Fair this year about Substitute Me. The only thing is, I didn't know I was being filmed -- thought it was just for radio -- so my 'fro looks a little off.

What do you think? Needless to say, me and my hair are going for a new look starting today. I'm off to the salon to change it up. Spring is coming, so I gotta keep it fresh. At least that's what I told my kids this morning. They each said a special goodbye to my big 'ol Afro. They crack me up. The little one wants me to get a straight bob, the big one tells me he doesn't care what I do, because I always look pretty. Awww... ( but there's a little Eddie Haskell in that kid).

Anybody else celebrating spring in some special way? A new 'do? A new look? Spring cleaning?

I'm listening.

Peace!

My Kind of People

Meltingpot Readers,

When I was a senior in college, one of my closest friends shocked the snot out of me when she informed our little rainbow coalition of friends that despite the fact that she'd only dated non-Korean boys in college, when it came time for marriage she was going to stick to her own kind. Back then I was still wearing my rainbow colored glasses and truly believed that if we all just inter-married and inter-mingled, we'd put an end to racism and bigotry. Oh, I was so naive. But still, I thought my friend was crazy for insisting that despite the fact she often found herself more attracted to men outside of the Asian tribe, she was going for the comfort of her familiar. I remember she said something like, "I don't want to have to explain my culture to anyone and I want my husband to be able to speak to my parents in their own language. It will just be easier."

And sure enough, several years later, after seriously dating an African-American man, my friend married a nice Korean boy and for the most part they are living happily ever after. But somehow I felt betrayed and confused by her choice. If she was happy with someone else, why was she choosing a boy to please her parents. It's taken me a while, but I'm now beginning to get it. It's not racism. It's not bigotry. It's not wrong. It's called comfort. And I don't think there is anything wrong with that. I'm starting to see now in my own life where comfort can definitely trump romance.

Did you know that my parents and el esposo's parents have never met? Well, that's not entirely true. El esposo's mother came to New York City right before we moved to Philadelphia. My parents flew in to meet her. They saw each other for about 45 minutes and their conversation went something like this.
"Hola."
"Hello."
"It's nice to meet you"
"Yes, Yes. Let's eat."
"Yes."

********************************************

Last night I spent the evening with a Book club that was mostly women "of a certain age," all of them Black. I was only supposed to stay for an hour, but that hour stretched into two hours easy. We talked about my book, Substitute Me, but we also talked about life. And hair. And love. And things that every woman talks about but there was a shared cultural understanding and language and nuance in the conversation that only happens in a room full of Black women. I drove home smiling and content even though there was a pile of work waiting for me at home. Those two hours were so uplifting. I laughed and relaxed and felt comfortable sharing my entire life story to a group of virtual strangers, who somehow didn't feel like strangers. And that's when it hit me that I enjoyed spending time with these women, because they were 'my kind of people.'

Now, here's the tricky part. By saying I enjoyed myself in a special kind of way because all of the women in the room were Black, am I excluding or insulting my non-Black friends? I know I could have an equally uplifting experience in a room full of non-Black women who were in the thirties and had all gone to Smith College, or had all married Spanish men, or who had two sons. Yes, it could be equally uplifting but it wouldn't be the same. How do we reconcile our desire to be clannish with the knowledge that being clannish inherently leaves others out of the game? I honestly don't think there's anything wrong with gathering with others like yourself. It doesn't need to be regulated or anything, but how do you ensure that you're not excluding or hurting other people?

You know I'm listening.

Peace.

Shelf-Elf Revolution Update -- Time to Focus on the Libraries

Hello Meltingpot Readers and All of My Loyal Shelf-Elves,

I want to say thank you to all of you subversive workers taking the law into your own hands and re-shelving my novel, Substitute Me. Some of you have told me that you've pulled it out of the African-American ghetto at some of the superstores and placed it in more attractive literary real-estate. So, thank you so much for that. Others have made my day by informing me that at their local independent bookstores they have found Substitute Me happily shelved in the general fiction section, organized solely by my last name. One reader in North Carolina told me she found Substitute Me at Barnes and Noble between Steinbeck and Tolstoy! Yeah!

From my unscientific research, it seems that Barnes and Noble keeps my book on the regular fiction shelf, but they also highlight it on a special shelf with other African-American titles. I'm okay with that. It just doubles my exposure. Now, Borders on the other hand, seems to only have Substitute Me in the African-American section of their store. If anyone has seen otherwise, please let me know and Shelf-Elves, let's get to work at our local Borders stores.

One of my writer buddies, who blogs over at The Many Shades of Love was horrified to find Substitute Me only on the African-American shelf at her local Borders and she wrote about her experience and what she thinks of seg-book-gation on her site. Thanks Amy for championing the cause. But what worried me, after reading Amy's post was the comment from a librarian. She said that Substitute Me earned one of those special yellow stickers to designate it as officially an 'African-American' title. Oy vey!

So, Shelf Elves, we have our work so cut out for us. Now we have to add libraries to our list of attack zones. And while I would never suggest we tamper with the work of our hard-working librarians, I want to suggest we not only re-shelve in the library, but we rip off the stickers as well. Not that the sticker isn't useful to some, but I think it's a deterrent to far more. Let's be honest. Even though most non-Black people wouldn't openly object to reading a book with Black characters, if the book has a bright yellow sticker on it that says "African-American Interest," there is an assumption then -- unless you're studying Black culture --that this book is not for you. Can I get a witness?

This is all so annoying. FYI, my next book is going to feature a Spanish immigrant, a Puerto Rican waitress , and a White female executive of a certain age. Where do you think they'll shelve that one?

Happy Weekend and Keep Hope Alive!

Peace!

Music Monday: Substitute Me, The Musical!

Okay, so recently during a long car ride, I was listening to the soundtrack of my favorite Broadway musical, Aida by Elton John and Tim Rice and I realized, gee, except for the location in Egypt and the like 1000 year time difference, the story line from Aida and Substitute Me is remarkably similar.

Here's a clip from the original cast of the Broadway Musical that kind of sums up the conflict in both stories. The clip comes from the song "Elaborate Lives."



Those of you who have read, Substitute Me, what do you think? Am I right? On so many levels?

And for people who could care less about the similarities between my first novel and a Broadway Musical, but love Meltingpot stories, please check out the Korean cast of AIDA, performing the same song.


(*Note, I have spent far too much time watching the Korean version of Aida this morning. It's truly amazing, especially the God's Love Nubia).

Happy Monday!

Peace!

Shelf Elf Revolution! Who's With Me?

Meltingpot readers,

Remember that line from Dirty Dancing at the end when Patrick Swayze comes sashaying into the ballroom to save Baby from a life of being overlooked by saying, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner!" And then they dance off into happily ever after or something? Well, that's how I feel about my new book, Substitute Me. The powers that be seem hell bent on putting my 'baby,' my debut novel in the proverbial corner, by shelving it solely in the African-American section of the bookstore where only a select few might find it.

So, I'm going to be my own Patrick Swayze and pull my baby out of the corner. I'm starting a Shelf-Elf Revolution. Every time I see Substitute Me, being segregated into the African-American section of the bookstore or library, I will call on my inner Patrick and re-shelve her on to a shelf in the front row. As you can see by my photos above.

In photo #1, you'll see where I recently found three copies of Substitute Me in a Barnes & Noble in suburban Philadelphia. Mind you this display was WAAYYY in the back of the store. So, in photo #2, you'll see where I placed the book in a more appropriate venue, a place where my 'baby' could shine.

So, Meltingpot readers, I'm asking you to join my Self Elf Revolution. Help me get my baby out of the corner and on to the bestseller lists. Okay, maybe that's a bit much, but I say you gotta aim high. I could break out into song right now, but I will try to curb my enthusiasm.

If you do have a chance to play Shelf Elf with Substitute Me, send me a picture of your shenanigans and I'll send you a free book.

Viva La Revolucion!

Big, Bad Tornados Can't Stop Me!

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

Sorry I'm coming to you a day late. I'm still catching my breath after my death-defying drive to New York City for the official Substitute Me release party. Yes, I was late to my own book party sponsored by my publisher, Atria Books and Up South Inc. But, people, we had to drive through a tornado/hurricane/torrential downpour to get from Philly to Harlem where the party was held.

At one point when we were driving through aforementioned downpour, when there was seriously zero visibility, I asked myself, 'is it worth it to die in a gruesome and horrific car accident in order to get to my book party?' Obviously. I said yes because we didn't pull over as many other, more rational motorists did. We just kept going and prayed the rain/hurricane-like winds would stop. And they did, eventually. And we made it, eventually. I was only 45 minutes late. Oops. But who ever heard of a tornado in NYC?

Thanks to the bad weather, many folks didn't show up to the party, but it was still amazing. It was held at this gorgeous Italian restaurant called Settepani. The owners, Leah and Nino, are Italian via Ethiopia. (You know this Kinky Gazpacho girl loved that.) I've never been feted by my publisher, so I honestly didn't know what to expect. Basically there was mixing and mingling, then my editor made a speech about me that brought tears to my eyes. She said such wonderful things about my books, I swear she had to be talking about someone else. And all I could think was, gee, I wish my parents were here so they could hear that someone else, another adult, thinks I'm smart. Do we ever grow out of that need?

Anywho, then I spoke a bit about Substitute Me, then I signed some books and then we ate. I was so touched because the restaurant created a Prix Fixe 'Substitute Me' meal for the evening and printed the menu on bookmarks, so I have a keepsake for my scrapbook. Yes, I am that dorky.

After driving back home to Philly on Thursday night, I slept like a baby and managed to do nothing useful all day yesterday except pick my kids up from school.

Tomorrow, I'm going to Washington DC. I'll be speaking at Presse Books in Georgetown at 1pm and again at 3pm.

Please come out if you live in the area. I'd love to meet some Meltingpot readers in the flesh. And please say a prayer that no tornados are heading for Washington DC.

Peace.

Link Love and a Giveaway Too!

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

I'm tired. I have too much to do. Seriously. So, rather than post a 'tired' entry here today, I'm going to suggest you take yourselves over to a great working-mommy website/blog called MamaLaw where I wrote a guest post entitled "What I Would Do with a Substitute Me." It's more or less a job description for my clone. I wish she were here now.

If you do manage to read it, you can leave a comment about what you would want your very own 'substitute me' to do and be entered for a free copy of the book.

Happy weekend. I'll be in New York City this Saturday for my first Substitute Me reading at Brownstone Books at 6pm. Anybody in the area, please stop by.

Peace.

Food for Thought-- The Meals in Substitute Me

Meltingpot Readers,

I have a confession to make. One of the main characters in my new novel, Substitute Me, Zora, is an aspiring chef. Over the course of the story Zora tries to make use of her time as a nanny to try out new recipes and menu ideas on her employers. It's a win-win situation for everyone, Zora gets cooking practice and the couple she works for gets gourmet meals at home.

So, I'm not a chef, nor do I pretend to be one on TV so I had to do some research to come up with menu ideas and different foods for Zora to cook. Sometimes I used my imagination, but a lot of times I just poached ideas from the restaurant I worked at while I was writing the book. (Yes, I was a waitress just three years ago because writing novels does not pay the bills.)
So I think it is only fair that I out the source for my culinary inspiration.

If you are ever in the Philadelphia area, please check out Geechee Girl Rice Cafe for a southern inspired brunch or dinner with an international flair. The food there is delicious. And I love how they keep their menu based on culinary dishes from the Carolinas (Gullah territory) but are never afraid to bring in new menu items from around the world. For example, periodically they host an International Home Cooked meal. In September the meal will be from Ghana and here's what on the menu for that night (Sept. 21):


Kyinkyinga: Ghanian Beef Kebab
Kelewele: Hot Plantain Crisps
Groundnut Soup
Crispy Red Snapper with Ghanian Gravy
Mango fool With toasted coconut shavings

Doesn't that sound yummy?

So now my conscious is absolved. If you want to eat some of the meals Zora prepares in Substitute Me, like the big important one on page 264, that involves crab cakes and that "harmonious salad," just go to Geechee Girl and tell them I sent you.

"Substitute Me" is About to Hit the Shelves!

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

I'm baaaaack! And just in time for the official debut of my first novel, Substitute Me. I'm so excited I might pee my pants. I'll let you all in on a little secret. Even though I've been a professional journalist for over a decade and I now officially make my living as a journalism professor at Temple University, I've always, always, always wanted to be a novelist.

Every since my mother bought me an antique Remington typewriter when I was eight years old, I've been writing stories and carrying around this romanticized notion of the life of a novelist. Needless to say, the rose-colored glasses regarding the writer's life have been brutally yanked off, but seeing Substitute Me in print is still a dream come true and I hope to write more novels in the future. And I want each one to be better than the last. I know, Substitute Me isn't perfectly executed, but I love my characters and I think the story is terribly engrossing. But you don't have to take my word for it. Here's what some early readers have said so far:

Substitute Me "rips the covers off race relations."

Lori Tharps explores, "race, class, child-rearing and love in her "yummy new novel."

And the American Library Association ran this positive review.

But here's my favorite endorsement. While I was basking in my technology free spiritual retreat, the divine Ms. Terry McMillan tweeted about Substitute Me! I don't know how she even got her hands on the book, but I'm glad she did. Loving my life right now!

Thank all of you for your support of my work and I'll be keeping you updated on the book's release and my tour schedule. Right now you can head over to my website to see my current schedule and any updates about the book.

Peace!

I know this is so cheesy, but this is how I'm feeling right now. Enjoy!

The Meltingpot Is Going with God

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

Here's a heads up that I will be taking a hiatus from posting for the next week. Please check back in on August 23. I'm going on a spiritual retreat. I've never been on a spiritual retreat before, but if there ever was a time for some rest, relaxation and reflection, now is that time.

On August 24 Substitute Me comes out. I've been working like a beaver trying to prepare for its illustrious debut and I have to admit I'm already tired and the book's not even on the shelves yet. Authors are so not done when they finish writing. We have to change our hats and become the ring leader of the circus of promotion and publicity for our work. Now that we have Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Goodreads, LibraryThing and a host of other online options to 'get the word out' there seems to be a never-ending list of things to do to keep Substitute Me in the minds of the masses.

Of course I want my book to be a success, but there comes a time when a person has the need to find the balance. To remember the joy of writing and telling a good story and to appreciate the blessing when even just one person reads your work and compliments you on the effort. That's why I'm going on a spiritual retreat. I need to recharge my batteries and have some uninterrupted time to focus on the blessings in my life. Because I know I have many. So very many.

What about you Meltingpot readers? What do you do when you need to rest, relax and reflect? Do you unplug? Go away? Hide in your room and stay in your pjs all day?

I'd like to hear from you. You know I'm listening.

Peace!

(p.s. The Retreat I'm going to is not a tropical paradise like the picture. Think rustic and woodsy. But I thought this picture felt like where my mind would like to be right about now.)

On Being Biracial ... And Totally Unrelated Book News

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

My business partner and I conceded that we can't do everything and hired an awesome intern to run our social media operations at Whatrugear.com. Sam Watson is Ukranian and African-American and has a lot to say about living the Mixie life. He posts a new essay every Monday on our website and today his post really moved me so I had to share.


Torn Between Two Worlds
"Being biracial can leave you torn between two worlds, if you’re close to one parent and not the other. All of my life, my sister and I have been close to my mom and her side of the Ukrainian family. We weren’t close with our African American father, and thus we only possess very minimal memories of time spent with his side. Beyond memories of me jumping onto the back of my cousin April and demanding piggy back rides (I was that young), I don’t remember anything about them from back in the day.

On the other hand, with my mom’s family, we have our Christmas parties, Easters, birthdays and just random times spent together. We were an actual family with them.

And then came the day that my father died.

I will never forget getting off of the elevator onto the ICU floor of the hospital. I walked into the waiting area, and before me I saw two African Americans. They saw us, and stood up. But I looked at them with unsure eyes, and approached with caution.

Are they family? I wondered to myself. I had no idea. I hadn’t seen my father’s side of the family for well over a decade. They were so unrecognizable to me, they were more water than blood.

My mom embraced them, giving the signal that they were indeed family. My sister and I then gave our hugs, as well. But as more and more of them arrived, and I found myself standing in a room full of my African-American family members, I felt uncomfortable.

This is probably far from the truth, but I felt as though they thought I was better than them in some way. I’ve proclaimed all my life that “I’m half!” but I have really only known the white side of my family. I’ll even brag about being half Ukrainian, because it always seems to catch people by surprise. So, when the time came, and I stood hand-to-hand with my other half, I felt like I had betrayed them in some way for being so close to my mom’s side." Click here to read the rest of the essay.

Sam is bringing a whole new energy to our site and company and we love it. He also maintains his own eclectic blog called The No Niche. Check it out for an interesting perspective on life in Philadelphia, mixie culture, pop science and being a hypochondriac. Seriously.

And in completely unrelated book news, the fresh-off the presses finished copies of Substitute Me arrived on my doorstep late last week. It still feels unbelievable to me that this idea I had like five years ago is now printed on the page, bound between two luscious covers and has my name emblazoned on the top. Pinch me!

If anyone would like to share in my joy and has an active blog (and hopefully it's visited by more than your best friend Shirley and your mom) and would like to receive a copy of Substitute Me before anyone else, send me an email to myamericanmeltingpot@gmail.com. All you have to do is promise to write about the book on your blog and I'll send you a copy. You don't have to review it, you can just write about how much you can't wait to read it, or that you just luvvvve the author and would do anything to support her, or you can wax philosophical on how much you love to read stories that feature nannies.

First 7 emails I receive will get one. Don't forget to include a mailing address and your blog address.

Thanks people.

Peace!

Why Are Nanny Stories Hot?

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

So, yesterday the New York Times printed this article that says people still love books about nannies. From the article, “There’s an ongoing cultural fascination with this rich drama that plays out in your own home,” said Lucy Kaylin, who did dozens of interviews for her 2007 nonfiction book, “The Perfect Stranger: The Truth About Mothers and Nannies” (Bloomsbury)." And I completely agree. That's why I wrote Substitute Me.

Personally, I was fascinated with the concept of inviting a perfect stranger into your home to perform some of your most intimate tasks. I was inspired by my own journey of trying to hire a nanny for my first-born son, while I was living in New York City. I am almost embarrassed to admit that I was so terrified of leaving my son with a stranger AND having that stranger in my home all day where she might notice that I'm a horrible housekeeper that I aborted the mission before it even really started. I avoided the whole topic. Extended my maternity leave. Begged my out-of-work friends to watch my kid all day long. I even snuck my son to my office a few times. Finally, in exasperation, I quit my job. That's right. Rather than bite the bullet and hire a nanny, I quit.

Substitute Me, is kind of the story of what might have happened if I hadn't been afraid. It's what I started to imagine during those frenzied days of mine. Many people will assume that the Black character in the story, the nanny, is loosely based on me, when in fact, it is the career driven White woman whom I mostly identify with. And I'm sure many of my readers will too. Kate Carter is a woman in love with a new son, but equally in love with her job. She hires a nanny because she knows it is the right thing to do for her child and for herself. And all she has to do is look around the local playgrounds to know nannies are the way to go, so she quells her fears and hires Zora. And that's when the story begins.

I think a lot of people associate nannies with wealthy folk who live on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. But the fact of the matter is, if you work and you have children, you are probably not wealthy but you still need a nanny. In my multi-culti neighborhood in Philadelphia, the new rage in nannies is hiring a young woman from abroad from an agency like this, which makes it feel like your getting something between a cultural exchange student and a babysitter all rolled up in one. With the added benefit of allowing people to avoid any of the uncomfortable racial/cultural baggage that comes with hiring a domestic worker in this country.

So I'm curious Meltingpot readers. Why do you think nanny stories are hot? Why are they so fascinating? Why is Super Nanny still on the air and syndicated in like a bazillion countries?

I'm listening.

Peace.

Good News

Hi Meltingpot Friends.

I have good news.

1. Spain won the World Cup! (As if you didn't know). El esposo is muy happy. Did you know this is the first time Spain has ever won the title?

2. My new novel, Substitute Me was featured very nicely in the August issue of Essence magazine. The reviewer called it a "modern-day horror story...that will haunt you for days." Did I mention it is already available for pre-order at Amazon.com? And those of you new here, the book does not feature any vampires.

3. Both of my kids are at camp for the next two weeks. Woot! Woot! (day camp. don't get too excited.)

Hope all of you have good news to start your week off right. Feel like sharing? I'm listening.

Peace!

There's Buzz About My Book!

Meltingpot Readers,

I received the most exciting news this week about my new novel, Substitute Me. According to a well-known magazine editor at a popular women's magazine, there's already 'buzz' building about my book.

Now buzz is one of those ephemeral things that can't be quantified. It's like gossip. Once it's out there in the world, you just don't know how far it will go. I'm hoping it goes far and wide. All of the work I do writing about the book, tweeting, posting witty Facebook postings, etc, is all in the hope that 'buzz' is generated. That people start talking and whispering about the book. And eventually there is a frenzy at the bookstores and on Amazon to get a copy of this book. Maybe frenzy is too strong of a word, but at the very least people get excited about the book and tell all of their friends. And they tell their friends, and so on and so on. This of course translates into robust book sales, which means of course that I will be able to get another book deal one day, so I can tell more Meltingpot stories. You see how this works?

Perhaps one of the most telling signs that buzz is building for Substitute Me is that (gasp) Walmart has ordered 10,000 copies of the book and my publisher Atria/Simon and Schuster has more than doubled their original print run. Now, I think you all know how I feel about Walmart, but those opinions are about to change. Walmart's support of a book can be life changing. It means that people in middle America, who may not have an indie bookstore to patronize, might buy my book. So thank you, Sam Walton.

Substitute Me comes out on August 24 so I have about seven weeks to continue building the buzz. If anyone wants to help, feel free to post your own comments about the book or talk about it while you're at your local book store. Make sure your book club members know about it. I'd like to see how far this buzz can really go.

And in the meantime, if you'd like to read a book that is already out and is riding high on some glorious buzz, check out 32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter. It's a multiculti, modern-day take on the Ugly Duckling fairy tale for smart girls. I don't know Carter personally, but she went to Smith College as did I, so she must be super smart and totally awesome!!! According to the blog White Readers Meet Black Authors movie rights to 32 Candles have already been optioned. Check it out and tell me if you think it's worth the buzz.

Happy Weekend!

Peace!

This is It! Substitute Me...The Cover

Okay Meltingpot Readers,

I warned you that the cover of my new novel, Substitute Me, looked like a scene from an Easy Rawlins mystery. Was I not right?

I admit that I think the cover is attractive. I like the colors but I'm not sure if my intended audience --women-- would see this on the bookstore shelf and want to pick it up.

On the flips side -- literally and figuratively -- however, to appease that concern of mine, my publisher played with the back cover because the book is coming out in paperback. The back cover shows a Black woman pushing a bugaboo stroller. She's obviously supposed to be the nanny. Now, in the book, Zora, the nanny, has dredlocks. In the picture on the back cover her hair is curly. But I still think she's cute and she's rockin' nice boots. But does any of this really matter?

So tell me please, what do you think of the cover? Would it catch your eye? And be honest because it wasn't my design idea. And it's not like I can change it, but at least I'll know what I'm up against as I start my publicity campaign.

Okay, let me hear it.

Peace.

Three Months Until My Baby is "Born"

Sorry Meltingpot readers if you were expecting an adoption update. Actually, the baby in the title refers to my new book, Substitute Me. In exactly three months from today, on August 24, 2010, Substitute Me will make its American debut. I get tears in my eyes just thinking about it. And those aren't necessarily tears of joy. They're kind of tears of bone-chilling terror. What if the book gets horrible reviews? What if nobody buys the book? What if everybody hates the cover? It is my first stab at fiction, so you understand my anxiety.

But I can't think like that. It's not healthy for me or the "baby."

My goal is to shepherd my book's birth into the literary landscape with love and high expectations and hope that it is met with open minds and, let's be honest, open wallets.

This Thursday I'll be heading to New York City to attend the largest book selling convention in the United States, Book Expo America. While I'm there I'll be speaking on a panel and doing my best to meet and schmooze with as many bookstore owners as possible. Any bookstore owners or librarians out there, let me know if you're coming to BEA. I'd love to meet you.

So this is just the beginning of a long (and I hope successful) journey for Substitute Me. If you have any tips for how I should spread the word, please send them my way.

Thanks.

Peace.